Cooked Food and Weight Gain

I am terribly sorry if this topic has been covered previously, but I had a question about cooked food and weight gain.

My diet is currently 100% raw vegan, but I really like oatmeal, corn, and rice and would love to be able to eat a lot of those foods. However, I have heard that cooked food is more prone to causing weight gain whereas raw food is more prone to causing weight loss.

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Years ago I read a book that said that when cows are fed raw potatoes, they stay slim and when fed cooked potatoes, they gain weight...not sure how true that is but always remembered it. I guess the composition (can't think of a more appropriate word) of the potatoes changes when it gets cooked so maybe it acts differently in the body than raw food?? Sorry I can't be more helpful O_o

That is very interesting! Thank you so much Georgia Scott! I appreciate how this is scientifically based input. Though I do appreciate both empirical and science based input :)Do you happen to know where I could find more information about this experiment with the cows? :)

It may have been in a book called 'Survival into the 21st century', but I have read that many books...

Was thinking...when we eat, we have a mechanism in the brain that tells us when we are full...maybe with cooked food the mechanism is delayed (due to some nutrition being destroyed from the cooking process) and so we have to eat more calories before the switch is flicked and we have satiation...maybe you just eat more overall calories on cooked? Just a thought...

That is true. Plus cooking food permits a greater range of higher calorie and more easily attainable food sources.

I wonder if gut microbiota (flora) has anything to do with how many calories are absorbed and stored as fat. I am considering this because I read that Japanese people have a developed a certain kind of gut microbiome that allows them to digest seaweed more effectively.

Hey Eevee, don't want to try to put you off indulging in cooked grains and rice but in my experience I gained massive weight the minute I took to eating rice as opposed to remaining fully raw or having roasted veges and steamed greens. If weight is an issue for you for sure have some of the above as a treat, but remain on the raw if you have the means to buy and prepare. Of course cooked grains will bulk you up. I think it is explained somewhere on 30bad or elsewhere on the net.

There is no difference in callories weather cooked or raw, if someone loses more weight on raw than cooked it's down to taking in less useable cals, basic stuff. You think if you cook a bnan that it somehow acumilates more callories? 100 callories of white rice is no different than 100 callories of fruit which is better for you but as far as thinking because somethings cooked promotes weight gain ia just daft.

I suppose it is different for everyone because I experimented a bit and found that I get very nauseous, constipated, and sluggish when I eat cooked food.

And personally I believe that, although the "carbs are carbs" concept is generally pretty true, it is not applicable to everything. For example, the body will probably respond differently to cane sugar vs a banana. But this is just my perspective. I am aware that some people's digestive systems may not be as sensitive as mine is :)

Incorporate a consistent exercise routine, mainly cardio, into your schedule and you won't have a problem eating cooked food and gaining weight. You said you heard that cooked food is more prone to causing weight gain than raw food. Do you have any experience with this? Being a raw vegan is great and all, but it's really not practical long term. I always had good results and felt great when just over half of my diet was raw food.